Buckland Court, Shoreditch by Henley Halebrown Rorrison

The scheme recalls the work of Morris & Co and how its wallpapers have adorned our homes from the 19th century to the present day, says architect Simon Henley

The architect’s view

This local authority estate dates from the late 1960s and is arranged in three linked four- and six-storey deck access blocks. The original layout appeared to create a courtyard but, like much housing stock from this era, was completely open and allowed anyone to roam the decks, which led to security problems. Funding from the New Deal for Communities scheme brought with it an imperative to address resident health, security, education, employment and sustainability issues.

This translated into an architectural brief to create new secure entrances and renew the landscape and, in so doing, engage the residents. The scheme recalls the work of Morris & Co and how its decorative wallpapers have adorned our homes from the 19th century to the present day, evoking the bucolic English landscapes lost to industrialisation and, with it, the growth of the city and suburbs.

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